U.S. Attorney General stops by Savannah

Corey Dickstein/Savannah Morning News U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder speaks Wednesday evening at the Savannah office of the U.S. Attorney Southern District of Georgia in the Cay Building on Ellis Square. Looking on, from left to right are, Savannah Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson, Savannah-Chatham Police Chief Willie Lovett, Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Ed Tarver, and Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap.

During a brief visit to Savannah, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder met with local officials to discuss ways the federal government can help support the local fight against crime.

In particular, Holder said Wednesday evening at the Savannah U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Cay Building on Ellis Square, officials talked about how to combat violent crime.

After meeting with Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson, Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap, Savannah-Chatham Police Chief Willie Lovett and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Ed Tarver, Holder said the issues plaguing Savannah are similar to those he finds during his frequent visits to other parts of the country.

Holder — who also stopped in Macon on Wednesday and was scheduled to be in Atlanta today — touted President Barack Obama’s “comprehensive plan to deal with” gun violence, which included executive orders and legislation proposals, as evidence of the administration’s determination to decrease crime throughout the nation.

“We think of this as something that is not a Savannah problem; it’s an America problem,” Holder said. “I’m here as a representative of the federal government to come up with ways in which we can help our fellow citizens deal with these issues.”

Among the items discussed were strict federal sentences that can be used against repeat offenders.

“If we can identify the people who are problematic, who are potentially repeat offenders, we can keep them in federal prison for long periods of time and take them out of this area and put them in places far away,” Holder said.

Officials also discussed the possibility of federal grants that could, among other things, provide the city funding to hire additional police officers and fund anti-crime programs.

Federal funding, Jackson said, was an option she was especially interested in, adding she would work hand-in-hand with Tarver to explore anything that could put “more uniformed officers on our streets.”

The mayor added that Holder promised to return to Savannah for further discussions about the city’s needs.

“This is a safe community; this is a wonderful community,” Holder said. “It’s a place that has as one of its main attractions tourism, and I know that you all want to make sure that tourists feel safe and that they can enjoy all the wonders of this city.”

Both Jackson and Lovett expressed gratitude at the attorney general’s stop in Savannah, adding they believe he was sincere in his offers to help the city fight crime.

“He didn’t have to come here,” Lovett said. “He came here because he wanted to. Usually to me that’s an indication that he wants to help. I’m very sincere, and I think he was very sincere about what the possibilities are of what they can do for us.”

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The border is far away. That is where Holder went so as to supply the Mexican/Colombian cocaine cartels with full-auto weapons and loads of ammo. It was called Fast and Furious. Now he and Obama and Finestein and Hillary want your guns.

Eric Holder should have explained to everyone the difference between a Federal Felon and your run of the mill everyday state felon , two different ball parks and two totally different games , your run of the mill state felons are arrested and sent to prison for 10 to 15 times , read their rap sheets on SMN , Federal Felons are handed sentences that would make you think twice about running a yellow light !!!!! There is no parole and they dont cut you any slack . The Federal Justice System even came up with an idea in 2008 to Track recidivism of Federal Felons , they would pick 5 inmates from 5 different prisons over the age of 65 , that had served at least half of their sentence , they would be tracked and after 5 years if they had not been reconvicted of a crime , the Federal Justicial System would pick 5 more and try it again !!!!!!!! So Eric Holder explaining anything to Willie about felons is ridiculous !!!!!!!!!

The United States Attorney General visited Savannah to discuss ways to fight a crime problem that the chief of police says we do not have.

The Attorney General said that "the issues plaguing Savannah are similar to those he finds in other parts of the country" and then he says "this is a safe community".

The Attorney General said that "gun violence is not just a Savannah problem; it's an America problem" and he laid out plans to help us with putting away repeat offenders, federal grants to hire more police and money for programs-- all for a problem that the chief insists is in decline.

Chief Lovett put a fine point on this public relations snafu saying that the Attorney General "didn't have to come here" (read: there's no emergency here), Holder came here because "he wanted to". He wanted to what? Eat lunch at Paula Deen's? Take a ghost tour? No. The United States Attorney General came here to discuss the crime epidemic that everyone knows we have EXCEPT for the chief, the mayor and city council. That the U.S. Attorney General came to Savannah underlines the gravity of the situation and all the while we are saddled with a municipal government that has lied to us in order to keep citizens from rioting at city hall-- not that Savannah gives a shot (until one of their own gets shot).

Here it is, Savannah: a classic case of smoke and mirrors, denial and doubletalk.

P.S.: Say, Eric, did you by any chance get to tour any of our seventeen documented homeless camps and see how all of Obama's programs are working?

I believe that their trip to Savannah indicates that they are concerned about the recent increase in violent crime--shootings--in Savannah. I appreciate that they came, despite the efforts of local officials to downplay the problem publicly.

I understand the Mayor's motivation to put on a public happy face: Tourism is vital for the local economy. But, I think she needs to re-calibrate her public expressions regarding crime. A tough, no nonsense attitude and approach in her public declarations would go much farther to re-assure people about Savannah than efforts to paint a rosy picture. Savannah's crime rate may not be nearly as high as other areas, but it is obvious that there has been an uptick in gun violence recently. The time to hit it hard is now, before residents flee and the depressive and corrosive effects of crime take hold. Public confidence is key and that will only be restored by action.

True that. I'd stick and stay, but since my house has been burglarized twice in the past thirteen months and the police answering the call have told me the truth about the facts (they are understaffed, the rate of crime has gone through the roof, their chief is in not only in denial, he has re-calibrated the criteria for crimes to lessen the charges across the board thereby showing a "decrease" in more serious crimes), I have no choice but to sell a house that my family is afraid to leave and takes no comfort in. Oh, we installed burglar bars, but Sgt. Joseph Kujawa informed me that the burglars that looted his daughter's house ripped the burglar bars out of the wall, so we don't get much relief from that.

We're moving, Minister, just as soon as we can find a sucker to pay us anything approaching fair market value to live in a high-crime area (fashionable midtown). I HAVE NO FAITH IN MAYOR MUGWUMP AND CITY CLOWNCIL. As a group they are dysfunctional; every single one of them is inept.

He is in Contempt of Congress for refusing to appear before Congress and answer questions on the 'Fast and Furious' operation which resulted in the death of a Border Patrol officer and high tech weapons now in the hands of Mexican Drug Cartels.

If he were serving under the Bush Administration people would be screaming for his head on a platter...

we have Eric"chicken" Holder (who gives a pass to terrorist and illegals but will go after law abiding citizens ) telling the mayor ( who hides at the first sign of troubles or confrontations ) and the chief of police ( who sees no evil, hears no evil, and does not leave his office under any circumstances ) how to combat crime. All we need is Batman, Superman, and Cat woman to complete this picture and we will have a cartoon comedy!

Contempt of the doggedly partisan Republicans in Congress in a bit of election year political theater you should say. Holder did appear before Congress and was questioned. Where were you that day?

The dispute is over a claim of Executive Privilege by the Department of Justice regarding documents that reflect internal deliberations which the Attorney General refused to turn over.

Then Attorney General John Ashcroft refused to turn over internal memos and documents regarding torture during the Bush Administration, and was not held in contempt. So, you are just plain wrong on all counts.

OUTSTANDING!!!! I hope the citizens realize and appreciate what a great message that is that the Attorney General visited us. We hope that you discuss this and what is happening in our community with your representatives in Congress. So many of you don't seem to have faith in your local representatives. So, do you use your Congressional representatives to get done what needs to be done?

Or to you who threaten to leave Savannah, do you intend to leave Georgia? The United States? Where is this Heaven on Earth that you expect to move to? The rest of us, who will stay and help make Savannah better-we need to support our Council in getting things done.

I hope you stayed on the City Council showing until the end where Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson, congratulated the way Mayor Edna Jackson on her interchange with Attorney General Holder. If you did, then you heard some of the planning they're gonna be doing to take advantage of the "relationships" being developed, on their next trip to Washington, D.C. for the next League of Cities.

By the way I wish a bunch of us could get together to discuss this big issue some have with the "this is our time" comment that Mayor Otis Johnson made awhile back. This IS our time to take advantage of relationships with folk "who look like us". You, if you were smart would take advantage of the positions in which we find ourselves. And, folk like the Attorney General know and respect the U.S. Constitution, and what it meant as to "equal protection of the law". They're not gonna take unfair racial advantage of it. And, they're not gonna allow you to do it either.

I think you are right. They still got a chip on their shoulder for losing the Civil War. That's probably why they are so offended by this "it's our time" comment. I don't think it's worthy of any discussion though. It was just a comment, and probably taken in the wrong context by people with very narrow perspectives. Let's not assume what was meant by that comment.
Someone seems to know alot about strip clubs and liquor stores.
Can we talk about Girl Scout cookies please?

I wish we could talk about some things that bother people from a "gut level", so that we could get to the bottom of what's really bothering them. For example, I'm new here-just been here FIVE YEARS. So, I never had any part in helping these elected officials get elected. OK, how did so many of them get elected term after term? Who did all this electing, and re-electing, and re-electing?

Someone talked about me supporting Van Johnson, and providing a donation to him. So, I believe in him, and I supported him. I contributed at least $2000 to this last election, to about SIX or SEVEN different folk. I really did NOT keep count. I believe in being active with my pocketbook, when I participate in a community I love. Heck, I even still give to candidates back in Pasadena, CA. And, I haven't actually lived there for 30 years.

before the Congress on Dec. 8, 2012 after numerous attempts to dodge the elected body, including presidential efforts at circumventing the Congressional Order to Appear and be questioned under oath. Eventually it was the threat of impeachment which finally brought Eric out of his foxhole and the inability of the President to block the Congressional Order.

Operation Fast 'n Furious was an 'alphabet soup' of agencies who moved weapons across the southern border WITHOUT the participation of Mexican authorities (for what THAT is worth). The weapons, which were supposedly being TRACKED were almost immediately LOST and are believed to have been used to murder Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in Arizona and immigration officer Jaime Zapata, who was working out of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

Unfortunately we shall never really know the truth as the record of Agent Terry's death has been sealed by a court for 'reasons of National Security'.

And those who are ultimately OFFICIALLY responsible for the debacle which led to his death remain on their untouchable ivory thrones...